Copyright for unit readings

iShare and Leganto are designated University repositories for book chapters and journal articles which have been digitised so that they may be made available online.

Unit Readings frequently asked questions

Why use Unit Readings?

Using Unit Readings will mean that the material that you provide to your student will be managed by the Library and stored centrally. Library staff are aware of copyright restrictions that apply to making materials available to students and can guide you through the process.

Why can't I put copies of book chapters and journal articles on my iLearn pages?

Copyright on this kind of material is best managed through University unit readings repository as it protects the University and teaching staff from breaches. As a simple test, ask yourself "has this been published?". If the answer is "yes", the material should be managed through iShare or Leganto.

iShare and Leganto are the designated University repositories for book chapters and journal articles which have been digitised so that they may be made available online. Leganto is currently being piloted with units in the Faculty of Arts and a few other units. For more information see the Leganto section.

In most cases the licence agreement which the Library/University has with database providers explicitly prohibits taking a copy of an article from the database and storing it on a separate computer/server. Linking is possible in many cases, and Library staff can advise you about this.

Why can't I have 2 chapters from the same book on Unit Readings?

Maybe you can. The copyright limit for items on Unit Readings is 1 chapter, or 10%, whichever is greater. If multiple chapters are less than 10%, we will make multiple chapters available.

I want a book chapter on Unit Readings, but another Unit has a different chapter from the same book already on Unit Readings. Is this a problem?

If the chapters are being used by different students, we can in most cases make the different chapters available in Unit Readings. However there might be special cases where this is not possible. The Library will advise you if this is not possible.

Can I have multiple articles from the same issue of a journal available on Unit Readings?

Maybe. If the articles are on a closely related topic, yes. You may also have multiple articles if the issue in question is a "special issue", or a thematic issue.

What if a book is out-of-print or out-of-copyright?

Library staff can determine if a work is out-of-print or out-of-copyright. If it is out-of-print or out-of-copyright, the Library may be able to make more than 10% of the book available.

I am the author of a work. Can't I do what I want?

If you are the author of a work, and if you have retained the copyright for that work, you may probably do what you want. However, if your publisher holds the copyright for the published work there may be limitations.

Can a publisher give me permission to use more than the copyright limit?

Yes, as long as the publisher holds the copyright on the work in question. Library staff will be happy to help you with an appropriate wording for such a request if you wish to have the material placed on Unit Readings.